Pneumonia is a serious infection, and it occurs when a single air sac (or both of them) become inflamed or fill up with fluid. There are more than three million new pneumonia infections in the United States each year. Pneumonia can be deadly to the elderly, the very young, and the immune-compromised. Symptoms include a phlegmy cough, fever, chills, and fatigue. If you think you’ve got pneumonia, don’t wait. Go to a doctor right away and get on the antibiotics and other medications they prescribe you. It could save your life! You don’t want to end up hooked up to a breathing machine in a hospital. Pneumonia is a lung infection, and it can kill you. However, for most people, they can treat it at home very successfully. It usually clears up with bed rest, fluids, and antibiotics in two to three weeks. Since pneumonia can be caused by bacteria or viruses, standard antibiotics might not always work. After all, antibiotics don’t work on viruses. You could be more likely to get a bout of pneumonia after you’ve had a cold or the flu. This list of the 9 top symptoms of pneumonia will help you determine whether you have the infection or not.
1. Chest pain when you cough or even breathe
Having chest pain when you breathe or cough isn’t any fun. It’s hard enough having a persistent cough that doesn’t go away for weeks or having trouble breathing, but when you have pain that accompanies either of those, it gets really hard. If you’re having really bad pain, visit a doctor to see if the situation has progressed or gotten worse. If it’s become very serious, it could be deadly. Hopefully, the pain will subside as the weeks go on, but if it’s getting worse, it’s time to see a doctor. Pain is usually a sign that something is awry.
